Belong
by angelgenius2
Summary: Hermione Granger has never felt like she belonged. Will a chance encounter with a tall, dark, and mysterious stranger finally show her that there is a place for her in this strange, new world? AU
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that privilege belongs to J.K. Rowling . Anything you recognize does not belong to me! _**

_Twenty-five. I turned twenty-five today_ thought a lone figure sipping whiskey at her local London bar, The Black Lion. Will life get any easier this year pondered Hermione Granger? With a sigh she decided the answer was most likely a no. Hermione had long since realized that there was not a place for her to belong in the world.

* * *

Hermione Granger always had a lonely life. She was an only child, a daughter to two very successful (and therefore rarely home) dentists and an outcast throughout her school career because she was highly intelligent and considered too studious to befriend. Hermione Granger was also a witch. You may ask why this young, bright witch did not belong in the magical world? The simple answer would be that she was never given the opportunity to enter the one world where she had any hope of finding a purpose for her life.

September 19th 1990 was the day when Hermione began to lose all hope of finding contentment in life. On her eleventh birthday, she received a strange letter. A letter about magic. While Hermione realized that magic explained all of the sometimes strange and bizarre occurrences surrounding her childhood, Jean and Michael Granger would not accepted that their perfect daughter could be a freak. Mr. and Mrs. Granger refused to allow Hermione to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, opting instead to continue her down their prearranged path towards a career in the upper echelons of political society. They expected their only daughter to one day rise to the level of Prime Minister, and having magic was simply not acceptable to the straitlaced Grangers.

So, Hermione attended muggle schools, gaining recognition for her brilliant mind along the way, and effectively ending any chances for true friendship due to the jealousy inspired in her classmates by her near perfect test scores. By the time Hermione was seventeen, the only two people in the world who ever showed her even a smidgeon of affection were her parents. However, even that bit of love did not last long.

Jean and Michael were killed in a freak gas explosion, just two weeks shy of Hermione's eighteenth birthday. As an adult, she was now truly on her own in the world. Reflecting back on her eighteenth birthday, the birthday girl admits that the weeks surrounding that birthday were both the worst and best times of her life. Although she grieved deeply for her parent's death and the loss of her only support in the world, Hermione could not help but feel that finally she was out from under the heavy pressure her parents put on her to be perfect and fit into their ideal future. With her life laid out in front her as a blank slate, Hermione dug through her childhood mementos till she emerged with the long cherished Hogwarts letter. A trip to Diagon Alley was first on her agenda.

The long desired admittance into the wizarding world, however, did not go according to plan. Herrmione could not have chosen a worse time to turn to magic. Diagon Alley was deserted, but for a few beggars lining the walkway, and one glance at a discarded newspaper was enough to dampen any desire Hermione had to belong to the magical world. The paper proclaimed that some guy named Lord Voldemort was in control of the government and that anyone with muggle parentage was to be forcibly removed from magic. Hermione's last hope for belonging in the magical world had been dashed, but she did pick up enough books to become a self-taught witch and maintain a connection to the magic residing within her.

The ability to teach herself magic was the only thing that kept Hermione going in the next seven years. She continued her parents career track during the day. She became a successful lawyer, winning every case, but never enjoying her work or making any friends in the profession. By night, however, she found enjoyment in learning how to levitate and transfigure. The double life, however, had taken a toll on Hermione. She did not have any friends at work due to her co-worker's jealousy, and she did not have an active social life due to late night magical studying.

So, on her twenty-fifth birthday, Hermione decided to take action. She quit her job at the law firm and wandered into the first pub she saw to find courage in a glass and plan out her new future.

* * *

As she continues to reminiscence about the past few years of her life, Hermione notices a tall, dark, and mysterious stranger walk into the bar and sit down at a table in the back corner. As the man continues to brood in the shadows, Hermione cannot help but notice how often her gaze drifts towards him, and making a quick decision to embrace life (and with the help of her new found whiskey courage) she signals for the bartender and orders the stranger a drink. Watching closely as the bartender takes a scotch over to the table, Hermione cannot help but catch the sheer shock that crosses briefly over the stranger's face when he looks towards her.

Thinking that this man might be just as lonely as she is, Hermione takes a deep breath and calmly walks over to the corner, praying that her first leap into her new future will be successful.

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**AN: So, this is my first attempt at writing fanfiction...please revew! I would really appreciate any constructive criticism you can give me. Feel free to tell me if you hate it too, although I would ask that you tell me what you hate so I can make my next attempt better. Thanks so much for taking the time to read/review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Severus Snape is a man of habit. Every Sunday evening he sits in the exact same table at the back of the Black Lion and contemplates the ending week over a few glasses of scotch. September 19, 2004 seemed to be just another Sunday, drinking away the sorrows of his lonely life.

* * *

Severus Snape walked into the Black Lion as normal, noticing the details of each person in the bar as he skulked towards his table in the shadows. He knew that the bartender, Marcus, would bring him his scotch as soon as he noticed his presence, so as he waited Snape quietly began reflecting on the events that had led him to boozing in London every weekend.

~Flashback

Snape hastily made his way towards the Whomping Willow to take the shortcut off the grounds of Hogwarts towards the Shrieking Shack. Although he knew in his gut that prostrating himself before the Dark Lord this time would probably be his last, Snape could not give up his place as a spy in the Death Eaters just yet. Harry Potter had not been given the knowledge that would lead to his victory, and Snape was the only one who held that knowledge. Until he sees Potter, reflected Severus, he'd have to retain the façade of being a faithful follower. Praying that he got the chance to confront Potter, Snape strode towards the Shrieking Shack, weaving around the duelers fighting on the grounds and occasionally shielding himself from a stray spell. Snape knew that fighting alongside either group, the Death Eaters or the Order of the Phoenix, in this Final Battle would give away his true intentions, so instead he concentrated on simply passing through the duelers rather than fighting his way through them.

About to descend into the tunnel leading off the grounds, an invisible wall of force suddenly rammed into Snape, pushing him off balance and landing him with a thud on the hard ground beneath his feet. The brief moment of surprise at being caught unawares was enough for the invisible man to begin strangling the fallen spy. Struggling to breathe, Severus forced himself to speak, "Potter, take them, please." As he was speaking, Snape forced a prearranged set of memories to leak from his tear ducts, finally passing on the knowledge that Harry himself was a horcrux, tying the Dark Lord to life. Wheezing from the attempted murder, and safe in the knowledge that his last mission for Dumbledore was complete, Snape began to fight in the battle, alongside a very shocked Order of the Phoenix.

~End flashback

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Despite the fact that the Minister of Magic had pardoned him, Snape could not help but think that he would have been better off to take his chances with death by meeting up with the Dark Lord that night so many years ago. _Death would surely have been the more preferable option_, he thought. Instead, Severus reflected, the wizarding world continued to hate me. They forced me to leave Hogwarts, I was jeered at and spit upon by passersby in Diagon Alley, and was forced to take on a new name just to be able to make a living in the wizarding world. As far as everyone but the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebot, knew, Phoenix Fire, Ltd. the sole a potions supply company supplying the ministry, was run by Benjamin Claiser. Definitely not Severus Snape, former Death Eater, murder of Albus Dumbledore, Order of the Phoenix spy, and all around most hated individual in wizarding Britain. Instead, Snape lived an almost entirely muggle existence, having no regular contact with anyone in the world he had grown up in and spent the vast majority of his life living in.

With a heavy sigh, Snape was pulled out of his reminiscences by Marcus bringing his customary scotch. As he pulled out his wallet, Severus was stunned to learn that it had been purchased for him, and looking at where Marcus had pointed, Snape could not contain the shock he felt that a young, beautiful woman was the one to have bought him the drink. Her slender figure, ample bosom, and wavy brown hair made her a very attractive female, and women like her were just not interested in his large nose, greasy hair, and pale complexion. He tried desperately to maintain his facial features as he watched the young woman take a deep breath and amble confidently towards his table.

"Hello," said the paragon of beauty nervously. "Would it be alright if I joined you for a drink?" she asked quietly. Feeling like he had fallen into the rabbit hole, Severus Snape simply nodded his head and watched as the young woman gracefully sat down on the opposite side of the table, signaling to Marcus for a refill as she turned towards me with a hesitant smile on her face.

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**AN: Thank you to giggles and worrywart for taking the time to review and encourage me to continue writing! Hopefully you enjoyed the new chapter. Please press the little review button down below...you know you wanna!**


	3. Chapter 3

Previously…

"Hello," said the paragon of beauty nervously. "Would it be alright if I joined you for a drink?" she asked quietly. Feeling like he had fallen into the rabbit hole, Severus Snape simply nodded his head and watched as the young woman gracefully sat down on the opposite side of the table, signaling to Marcus for a refill as she turned towards me with a hesitant smile on her face.

* * *

After a longer than normal period of silence, during which Severus could not help but stare at the young lady across from him, the quiet was broken by her sweet voice. "I'm Hermione, by the way. Hermione Granger," she spoke hastily. "Pleasure to meet you Hermione," he replied, "my name is Severus Snape." "Severus? What a powerful name. Did you parents desire for you to have a powerful political life like the Roman Emperor, or did they simply like the alliteration do you know? " Hermione inquired enthusiastically. "Unfortunately my parents both came from families that preferred to hand down embarrassingly unique names to their offspring," mused Severus with a slight smile on his face. _He is really quite handsome when he smiles like that_ thought Hermione dreamily. "So, do you frequent the Black Lion often, Hermione? I have never had the privilege to make your acquaintance here before, and I'm sure I would have noticed an attractive young woman such as yourself," Snape quipped along with a heated stare. "Um, no," the blushing Hermione stammered out, " it was purely by chance that I walked in here tonight actually." After a half-second pause, Hermione decided to continue her own flirtatious thoughts and admitted that "perhaps I will have to drink here more often if the company will always be this good."

"Perhaps you should," Snape whispered quietly. Flushing prettily, Hermione decided to steer the conversation to safer waters. " So, Severus, what do you do for a living?" she asked. "Well, I recently began my own small, private company, dealing with distributing medicines to the government" replied Severus. " What about you Hermione? What do you do for a living?" "Actually, I resigned from my job as a lawyer earlier today," laughed Hermione nervously. " I realized that it was time to stop living the life others had laid out for me and branch out into my own future." Surprised, Snape could not help but ask her quietly "did you not enjoy being a lawyer? Or were you just tired of living up to everyone else's standards?" Hermione pondered the question for a few minutes, absent mindlessly chewing on her bottom lip while she thought on how best to answer his insightful question. Meanwhile Severus, busy staring hungrily at her now plump lips almost did not catch Hermione answering that "Ever since I was a young girl my parents had planned out my entire life. After they passed away a few years ago I simply maintained their chosen career path as a way to remember and honor them. However, being a successful lawyer was a lonely existence." With a sigh Hermione looks up at Severus with a faint glimmer of tears in her eyes and admitted that " being at the top made having friends in the office non-existent and the long hours made having a social life outside of work practically impossible." Moved by the similarity to his own career as a teacher, he inquired as to what she would be doing now that she had her own agenda to put into action.

"Well," replied Hermione " I don't really know." Seeing the puzzled look on Severus' face, Hermione quickly expanded her answer, " I did not have any plans for a new career when I resigned. I only wanted to finally find somewhere that I could belong; somewhere that would give me a chance to find happiness and not be lonely anymore." Smiling coyly, Hermione looked towards Severus and admitted that, "In fact, I walked out the door of the law firm and decided that my social life would be my first priority, so I walked into the first bar I saw and sat down to plan out my new life." Amazed Severus raised his glass and gave a toast. "Here's to finding happiness, new friends, and a place to fit into this crazy world. Cheers Hermione!"

* * *

Finishing off her ninth (or was it tenth) whiskey several hours later, Hermione couldn't help but think that already her life had taken a turn for the better. Severus Snape had turned out to be an excellent conversationalist. In the three hours since she had taken the chance to sit down at his table, they had moved from the personal questions about family and jobs, to politics, religion, recent medical break throughs, and even sports (actually, that was more like a heated denouncing of all sports as the bane of an intelligent society). Hermione could not remember ever meeting someone who was as well versed in history and current events as the mysterious man sitting across from her. In addition to his intelligence, he was charming, well mannered, and downright delicious to look at. Perhaps the best part though, bemused Hermione, was the fact that not once in the entire evening had Severus seemed either intimidated or jealous of her own intelligence. Coming from a male dominated career (of which she dominated all the males intellectually), Severus's own intelligence was a breath of fresh air.

The two were enjoying each other's company so much that neither one had bothered to look at the clock during the entirety of the evening. It was a shock, therefore, when Marcus came up to them at 2 am to announce closing time. Sensing Hermione's reluctance to part company (and of course not wanting to leave himself), Severus asked Hermione if she would like to meet again in a day or two for coffee. "I'd love to," Hermione confidently replied. Feeling a desire to enjoy her life for once, Hermione suggested to Severus that they meet at noon on Tuesday in front of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. " We could go for a stroll and then enjoy an afternoon coffee together," she suggested. With Severus' murmured acceptance, Hermione placed a lingering kiss on his cheek and whispered in his ear, "I'll see you Tuesday then, goodnight Severus." As he watched her walk out of the pub, Severus realized that Tuesday could not come fast enough.

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**AN: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far. Please continue to give any constructive criticism and encouragement you can! Hopefully I will have the next chapter written and posted in short order!**


	4. Chapter 4

The next evening found Hermione pacing her bedroom floor, too anxious about her upcoming lunch date with Severus to sleep. _Who would have thought,_ admitted Hermione to herself, _that quitting my job would be the best thing to ever happen to me? It's almost too good to be true, that the very moment I decided to start living my life and feeling less lonely the perfect guy walks into my life_. "Perfect," whispered Hermione disbelievingly as she abruptly stopped pacing the length of her bedroom. " Do I really think Severus Snape is the perfect guy?" Sinking down onto the edge of her mattress, Hermione replayed the previous night's encounter in her head, trying to figure out how she had so quickly become attached to a guy who was for all extents and purposes still a stranger to her. _The only thing I know about his life is the fact that he owns his own medicinal company_, she realized after replaying their conversations over drinks_. I don't even know his age_ panicked Hermione, _yet I think he is perfect?_

_I mean, yes I know that he has excellent manners, detests sports, and has no desire to be a political figure. He thinks organized religion is a bunch of fiction put in place by individuals desiring ultimate power, and prefers to live a simple life out of the public life. But, is that enough to base feelings on, she pondered? Could I really have a chance with Severus,_ Hermione wondered, _would he desire anything beyond friendship?_ "I'll just have to get to know him better then," promised Hermione, "Tomorrow, I'll make sure to get to know the man beneath the mask." With her plans determined, Hermione drifted off into a peaceful sleep, praying that tomorrow's "date" would come swiftly.

* * *

Tuesday morning dawned bright and sunny, a perfect complement to Severus' cheerful disposition. For the first time in over two decades, Severus was enjoying the company of someone who seemed to genuinely like being in his presence. _For the life of me_, thought Snape, _why would a young woman like Hermione be interested in me? She's got the body of a goddess, an intellect I have yet to find a match for, a natural kindness that radiates off her, and the warmest honey brown eyes that I've ever seen_. The thought that such a woman could possibly have romantic feelings for him left Severus perplexed. Despite the doubts floating around in his head Snape was not about to miss the chance to spend more time with Hermione, so at eleven he began heading towards Kensington Gardens and the prospect of a delightful afternoon spent in the company of the delectable Hermione Granger.

Not wanting Severus to think she had stood him up, Hermione Granger trotted through the gardens as her watch signaled the beginning of the noon hour, looking for Severus as she walked quickly towards their prearranged meeting spot. Letting out a sigh of relief as she noticed that Severus had waited for her to arrive, Hermione approached him with a smile lighting up her face and a breathless "Hello Severus" on her lips. Her heart beat quickened as Severus turned towards her with a genuine smile on his face. "Good morning Hermione," he replied, "would you care to take a stroll through the gardens with me?" After receiving her polite nod in acquiescence, Severus offered her his arm and they began to stroll away from the statue, looking peacefully at the beauty of the gardens surrounding them. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Hermione turned to Severus and said, "So Severus, tell me a little about yourself. I mean, I don't even know the basics, such as your age or anything." Taking a calming breathe, Severus replied "Well, I'm 44. I was until recently a lot like you, Hermione. I was a chemistry teacher at a private boarding school in Scotland, although not by choice, and my colleagues were not particularly fond of me. Eventually my desire to get away from the hate of my colleagues outweighed my need to remain at the school, so I branched out into the private sector." Unsure how to describe his life any more fully without divulging secrets about the wizarding world, Severus was relieved when Hermione simply gave his hand a gentle squeeze and turned to less personal topics of conversation. The afternoon passed much like their previous encounter. The two quickly got lost in conversations of European History, favorite movies, music, and books (Hermione could not help but laugh faintly at Severus' admission that he was a closet Jane Austen fan). By the time they began to run out of topics to discuss, they were shocked to realize it was nearing dusk.

As they sat along the Serpentine, watching streaks of red and gold light the sky alongside the setting sun, Severus knew that he had found a steady friend. However, his heart had begun to realize that friendship might not be enough. With a glance at the joy enhancing Hermione's face, Severus gathered his courage and asked " would you like to visit the British Museum with me Hermione?" Turning to face him, Hermione couldn't hide her smile as she replied, "I'd love to Severus. When would you like to go?" "Thursday?" inquired Severus. With Hermione's nodded acceptance, Severus stood and offered her a hand up. "Would you permit me to walk you home Hermione?" "That would be lovely, thank you Severus," she replied. The pair walked in companionable silence for the eight blocks to Hermione's flat, each lost in thought about how well the day had gone. As they approached her flat, Hermione stopped and turned towards Severus. "Well, this is me" she said nervously. Looking into her eyes, Severus fidgeted slightly and then leaned forward to capture her lips for a gentle caress. Pulling away, he whispered in her ear, "good night, Hermione. I'll be counting down the hours till Thursday." With a smile he turned away, not seeing how Hermione absentmindedly ran her fingers over her lips while she watched him turn the corner. As Severus faded out of view, Hermione unlocked her door, and with a brilliant smile, shakily said "as will I."

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**AN: Thank you so much to those who have already read and reviewed this story. Your comments and encouragement are what keep me writing, so don't stop now! The button below is calling your name. Please don't ignore it :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione couldn't contain the tiny squeal that emerged from her mouth when she buzzed Severus through the front door late Thursday morning. In fact, she was so excited to see him that as soon as he reached her flat, Severus found himself locked into a gentle yet still passionate kiss. "Good morning Severus," Hermione said after finally showing him through the door, "are you ready for a stimulating day of European History?" Deciding to begin the day off flirtatiously, Severus winks at Hermione, "I'm sure that it will be a very stimulating afternoon, Hermione." Blushing prettily, Hermione grabs her purse and allows herself to be led out the door, careful not to let Severus see the not yet muggle proofed living room behind her.

The afternoon progressed quite well for the two history lovers. They traversed the museum section by section for several hours, never once losing interest in the delights of European History on display._ The museum is fantastic_ mused Severus several hours into the visit, _but all of this history fails in comparison to the light in Hermione's eyes_. They had saved the best part of the museum, in Severus' opinion, for last…the reading room. Seeing Hermione in raptures at the sight of so many books tugged on his heart strings. If only I could show her the Hogwarts library, Severus internally sighed, she would never want to leave. Basking in his good emotional state, Severus swept down to claim Hermione in their first kiss of the afternoon. A swift, sweet kiss that left his lips tingling and yearning for another.

Hermione could not remember ever having a better day. The museum was truly world-class. From the Roman antiquities to the Saxon artifacts, Hermione had yet to find anything to criticize. By the time the couple had reached their final stop in the reading room, Hermione had a hard time keeping her joy from showing on her face. Despite the amazing journey through history which she had been on in the last four hours, it wasn't the knowledge she was gaining (as Severus had assumed) that was causing Hermione to flush with pleasure. It was the simple fact that for the entire day Severus had yet to release her hand. She honestly did not believe that there could be a more perfect date; then Severus proved her wrong by offering to share his own enjoyment of the day with her through a gentle kiss. The fact that Severus had seen fit to show his affection in such a public manner left Hermione feeling giddy as she was reluctantly released from her moment of pure bliss.

After perusing the museum for another hour, Severus suggested they retire to a near-by pizzeria for an early dinner. Hermione and Severus were oblivious to the other customers in the restaurant as they engaged in yet another high quality conversation, which they were each coming to regard as normal in their fledgling relationship, during dinner. By the time their meal was over, Severus had gathered his courage to ask Hermione "What was your favorite part of the day?" Gazing at Severus through half-lidded eyes, Hermione admitted shyly "This right here. The fact that we could sit here together and have an intelligent and engaging conversation together." Holding Severus' gaze across the table, Hermione confessed "that's something I have always lacked in my life, and now I don't know how I could ever go back to living without it." Incredibly moved by her confession, Severus reached across the table for Hermione's hands, rubbing his thumbs across her knuckles, he raised her right hand to his lips and whispered too quietly for her to hear, "hopefully you will never have to," before placing a kiss to her palm.

They walked slowly back to Hermione's flat that evening, both reluctant to end their perfect date. When they finally reached her door, Hermione reached up on her tip toes and gave Severus a lingering kiss. "Would you like to come over tomorrow evening for dinner, Severus?" she asked hopefully. "I'd love nothing better, my dear" he replied with a deep and silky voice. After a caress of her cheek and swift and gentle kiss, Severus backed away. "I will bid you adieu, until tomorrow evening, ma chere," replied Severus passionately. And with that he turned away, leaving Hermione to a night of sweet dreams about the tall, dark, and mysterious man who had, in such a short time frame, fully invaded her heart.

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**AN: I'm overwhelmed by how well you guys are responding to this story. Thank you for encouraging me to continue writing. As always, I would love to hear from you, so click the little button down below!**


	6. Chapter 6

It's been five months, reflected Hermione, five near perfect months of bliss with Severus. There were times still when she couldn't wrap her mind around how well her life had turned out in the last few months. I quit my job on a spur of the moment decision, met a man who has quickly become my entire world, and I've found a job that I love as a law professor, teaching my knowledge of success in the courtroom to the nation's best and brightest up –and-coming lawyers. Everything has been literally perfect, thought Hermione. "So why do I feel like it's too bloody perfect to be true?" she burst out in frustration to her empty flat. Hermione examined her memories of the past few months, trying to determine why she felt so weird about her relationship with Severus. He's been nothing but a gentleman at every meeting between us, all the garden strolls, the museum visits, the dinners nearly every evening. Severus has never pressed me for more physical contact than I desired to have. He's done absolutely nothing wrong, thought Hermione dejectedly. So why, she thought, do I feel so weird about our relationship? Her mental battle refused to go away throughout the day, and it wasn't until shortly before Severus was due to arrive for dinner at her flat that she realized her feelings of apprehension stemmed from guilt. I can't expect this relationship to work, no matter how much I love him, if I cannot be completely honest with him about my life. She determined right then and there that sometime over dinner she would have to reveal to Severus the fact that she was a witch. If she wanted her chance at forever with him sometime in the future, then he had to know the one thing that made her so different from the rest of the world surrounding her. "Even if it means the end of our relationship," mused Hermione, "I simply cannot live with the guilt from hiding it any longer.

* * *

Severus arrived at Hermione's flat at precisely 5 o'clock and proceeded to knock with slightly sweaty palms. "Okay Snape, you can do this. No chickening out this time. Of course she will say yes, she loves you. There's nothing to worry about. Just casually slip it into the dinner conversation. You can do this." Snape muttered his pep talk to himself while he waited for Hermione to answer his knock, and the brilliant smile he received when she opened the door was enough to calm his nerves as he pulled Hermione in for a passionate and lingering kiss. "I've missed you something fierce the last two days," Severus stated while he let Hermione catch her breath. "I've missed you too," she replied "come on in and sit down, dinner's already on the table." The couple made polite conversation as they worked their way through the meal, and as Hermione sat down from placing the dessert on the table, he took a deep breath before grabbing Hermione's hand nervously. "Hermione," Severus stammered while gazing into her deep honey brown eyes, "you know how much I love you right?" Concerned by the tone in Severus' voice, all Hermione could do was nod questioningly. Gathering his courage, Severus spoke quickly before he lost his nerve, "I know we have only been together for a few months, but I care very deeply for you and I believe that this relationship is the best thing to ever happen to me." Ignoring Hermione's sharp intake of breath, Severus continued by saying "I think we should take our relationship to the next step. Hermione, would you move in with me?"

Hermione was astonished. "Severus," she gasped " I had no idea..I.." Hermione let her sentence trail off as she thought about the best way to answer him. Seeing his devastated expression, Hermione sighed and said "Severus, I don't know what to say. I love you too, but I don't think I can accept right now." Hermione held up her hand to stop his protests. "I would love nothing better than to further our relationship and move in with you, but before I can accept, you need to know something about me." Stunned into silence, Severus waiting with baited breath as Hermione visibly struggled to speak. "I haven't told you everything about my life, Severus, and I realized today that if I want to have a future with you then I need to come clean. I… *sigh*…I'm a witch. I mean, I have magical powers. I've never told anyone before, and I know this is probably going to be a huge shock for you; but if you are going to be a part of my life, as I sincerely hope you will be, then you are going to have to accept the fact that I'm different than normal." After a few moments of tense silence, Severus finally spoke. "How can you be with me Hermione? How can you possibly have fallen in love with me? Is this all a joke; were you trying to hurt me?" Giving up attempting to stop the tears falling from her eyes, Hermione choked out " I'm so sorry Severus. I never meant to hurt you by keeping it a secret. I know it can be a lot to take in. My own parents for god's sake couldn't accept the fact that magic exists. But, please Severus don't give up on us just yet. Please! I'm sure you can believe in magic eventually, if you just try to understand it." "Please don't give up on me Severus" she sobbed.

"What are you talking about Hermione?" questioned Severus angrily. "Are you telling me that as a witch you weren't aware of the fact that I am a wizard? I find that hard to believe, considered I am currently the most hated person in wizarding Britain." At seeing the sheer shock on Hermione's face, Severus realized that she really had no idea that she had been dating a fellow wizard for the past five months. "How could you not have known?" he asked in a slightly calmer voice. " You're…You're a wizard?" At Severus' shaky nod, Hermione explained "I haven't exactly been a part of the wizarding world. When I got my Hogwarts letter on my eleventh birthday my parents flat out refused to let me attend. After their deaths I visited Diagon Alley for the first time. I thought that I would finally have the chance to fit in somewhere, you know? But, apparently I chose a bad time to visit the alley. There was a war going on, so I quickly bought a wand and some spell books before anyone realized I was a muggleborn and threw me in prison or killed me." Looking up at Severus, Hermione admitted that she had never gone back. "It was just too painful to finally see the world I thought I would belong in and then realize that they didn't want me. I never even went back to try and discover if the war ever ended or which side won, I just left."

"Oh Hermione," Severus sighed sadly, " I guess it is I that has to explain now then. You see, I was not a very nice man whilst I lived in the wizarding world." Deciding that Hermione deserved to know everything, Severus bade her to sit down and then began his long tale. "I grew up in a poor, muggle household with a father who was a slave to the bottle. He used to beat my mother and I quite frequently, and by the time I received my Hogwarts letter I had become a recluse. I tended to avoid getting close to other people, because my childhood had taught me that anyone I let close would eventually hurt me, whether physically or emotionally." Severus took a deep breath and stood up abruptly to pace as he continued his tale of misfortunes and betrayals. " I met a young girl, Lily, on the train to Hogwarts that first year, and against my inner judgments, I befriended her. We were sorted into rival houses and therefore we were expected to cease our fledging friendship, but we were both lonely so we kept our friendship secret. Eventually, our classmates discovered our subterfuge, however, and that's when the real trouble in my life began. The Gryffindors who were fond of Lily began to torment me in the hopes that I would be driven off. They played pranks on me mercilessly, and as the years progressed their stunts became more dangerous. At the age of sixteen I was saved by death only because one of them chickened out at the last moment on a prank that would have ended my life if it had been put into action. Throughout all of this, the school officials did nothing to punish them r stop them. They were the golden boys of the school, and I was seen as the Slytherin who had no friends and was not worth the effort." Hermione watched on silently as Severus became more agitated as the tale progressed, but she remained silent, curious to know what had turned Severus into the man standing in front of her.

"My own classmates," continued Severus "mostly ignored me. So, come graduation I had no friends, was bullied by the majority of the school and ignored by the teachers and the rest of the student body. I turned to the only person who was giving me any recognition. I became a Death Eater and willingly served Lord Voldemort." The slight catch in Hermione's breath was heard by Severus at this point, and he quickly moved past the uncomfortable tension in the room and turned towards the window so he would not have to see the disappointment he was sure was showing on Hermione's face. "For a year I willingly followed the Dark Lord, killing others at his whim and torturing men and women for information. All because he was the only person in my life, since the loss of Lily, to have shown me any affection. Then, I received word that Lily, her husband, and her child were in danger. The Dark Lord wanted to kill them because he thought that Lily's son, Harry, was the key to his own downfall. I knew that I could never be a party to the murder of Lily, despite the fact that she had turned away from me and married James Potter, the chief of my adolescent bullies. She had been the first and only real friend that I had ever had, and I could not have lived with myself if I had not done everything in my power to save her life. So, I turned to the leader of the other side, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and offered my services as a spy for his cause, if he would save the Potters. Eventually though the day came when the Dark Lord attacked, and Lily did not survive. I knew then that I would give everything, my very life included, to see Voldemort dead and buried."

Hermione realized at this point that Severus had become so engrossed in his memories that he seemed to forget she was even in the room. She watched sadly as the pain and heart ache bled through the façade of indifference he had plastered on his face. "I spent the next seventeen years spying for Dumbledore, but he still never cared for me. He forced me to teach potions at Hogwarts, where I saw daily examples of how he still treated the Slytherins the same way he had treated me, with scorn and suspicion. He openly favored the other three houses, so whenever I stood up for the Slytherins the other teachers would turn against me in their desire to support the headmaster. Eventually, I ended up teaching Harry Potter. Dumbledore never understood how difficult it was for me to teach the spitting image of my own adolescent bully. I became a mean shell of a person, refusing to show an ounce of kindness to anyone for fear that it would reach the Dark Lord's ears and I would be discovered as a spy. I also did not want to ever feel the loss I had when Lily passed away. It seemed easier to make everyone fear me." As Severus finally turned away from the window to scan the room, Hermione could see the anguish on his face, the sheer misery that he had been through was clearly written in his posture, and the sight was truly heartbreaking.

"Finally, Dumbledore gave me an order, which sealed my fate as the most hated man in Great Britain, He ordered me to kill him." The pure agony in his gaze tore at Hermione's heart, and she could not even attempt to stop the tears from cascading down her cheeks. "He was already dying a slow death from poison by that point in time, but he decided that my killing him would not only save him from months of suffering, it would also cement my place in the Dark Lord's service. Dumbledore naively thought that I would be the sole confidant of Voldemort and therefore able to give the information that would lead to his downfall straight to the light side. He failed to take into account though the fact that Potter witnessed my mercy killing. I became the most evil man in Britain, and the order refused to take any information they thought had been supplied by me. Eventually, I was able to get the knowledge of how to kill the Dark Lord to Potter and the war ended. The ministry pardoned me due to my help in the final battle where I turned against the Death Eaters and fought with the light side, but to this day not a single person in the wizarding world does not detest me. I tried to continue living there for a few years after the war, but they forced me into hiding in my own home to escape the scorn of the witches and wizards on the streets. I gave up hope of ever living there peacefully, so the minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, agreed to maintain my secrecy and set me up to be the sole provider of potions for the ministry under an assumed name."

Turning to me, Severus' eyes pleaded for my understanding, but he simply said "Now you know why I cannot believe you would ever love me after knowing that I am a wizard," "Severus," Hermione spoke through her tears," I understand why you would worry, but…I can see that you have changed. It does not matter to me that you made a mistake as a teenager. From the sounds of it you have more than made up for them in the decades that followed your initiation as a Death Eater. It's just a lot to process." Making a quick decision, Hermione looked up at Severus and spoke hesitantly, " Can I please just have some time to come to terms with this It was a lot of information, and I…sigh, I just need to think it through some more." "Of course," Severus said dejectedly, "I'll be waiting, whatever you decide." With a longing look and a swift kiss on the cheek, Severus walked out of the flat, certain that Hermione would realize she could do a whole lot better than a washed up Death Eater spy who was hated by the entire world she longed to be a part of. His last thought as he stood staring at the front of her building was how did I go from asking her to live with me to losing her in the space of a single evening. With tears in his eyes, he turned around and began the long walk back to his own flat.

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**AN: Wow, so this was a really long chapter compared to the rest. This chapter was for you Modges, I hope the "I'm a Wizard. I'm a witch" talk lived up to your expectations. You all know what to do...make me a really happy fangirl by hitting the little button down below!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione couldn't stop the tears from falling down her face. _Severus is a wizard,_ she thought. Pondering the excess of information that Severus had imparted in the last hour, Hermione couldn't help that the one piece of information that constantly stood out to her was the fact that the wizarding world was no longer at war. It truly did not matter to Hermione that Severus Snape had once been a loyal Death Eater; rather the part that worried her most was Severus admitting that he was the most hated individual in Britain. As her gaze drifted towards the setting sun, Hermione couldn't help but whisper, "Is this what it comes down to? Do I have to choose between the man I love, the man I could see myself having a future with, and the world that I have always thought would be the only place I could truly belong?" With a dejected sigh, Hermione turned from the window knowing she had a difficult decision to make.

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Right and early the next morning, Hermione had made up her mind. For the first time since she was eighteen years old, she was going to enter the wizarding world. Stepping through the Leaky Cauldron Hermione already knew that the wizarding world was different than her previous excursion. _The place is crowded_, she thought, _it's definitely not the same forlorn and dirty alley I once knew_. Hermione took her time, weaving through the busy shoppers and the bustling mothers herding young children from store to store, simply soaking in the atmosphere and the pure excitement that the exotic sights inspired inside her. After exchanging a few pounds with the goblins, Hermione decided to relax at Fortesque's Ice Cream Shop and watch the crowd. Without expending a lot of energy, she wanted to get a feel for the new world she hoped might one day become her home. She found a red-haired young man demonstrating joke items in front of a store called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes most amusing, but the best part of the alley had to be the magical creatures shop (there were the cutest little kittens in the window).

After polishing off a pumpkin sorbet (okay two pumpkin sorbets, they really are very good after all) and watching the activity in the alley, Hermione decided to wander through the book store in the hopes of finding some new and interesting spell books to learn from. Flourish and Blotts was not very crowded that particular morning, and Hermione had no trouble finding a book or two to occupy her time in the store. In fact she was so absorbed in the latest edition of Hogwarts, a History that she almost didn't catch what the group standing behind her were discussion. It was only the mention of Severus Snape that caused Hermione to sharply glance up from the book.

Quietly moving forward, Hermione heard what appeared to be two men talking about Severus in angry tones. "I'm telling you, it has to be Snape," replied one of the men in a deep voice, "the minister let him go after the final battle and all of the other Death Eaters were captured. So Snape had to be the one to cast the Avada Kedavra Thursday night. No one but a Death Eater would ever use that curse." "That's not true Albert and you know it," replied the other man in a slightly high pitched voice. "There were many in the Order of the Phoenix who used that curse in the final battle. What about Molly Weasley? She cast it on Bellatrix Lestrange, didn't she? Besides, no one has seen Severus Snape in years. Everyone says he fled Britain altogether because he couldn't stand being near so many people who despised him." The first man, Albert Hermione assumed, snarled that "I don't care what anyone else says. Snape was a nasty piece of work and he should never have gotten away with it. He always hated Gryffindors, so why wouldn't he have been the one to kill MacDougal? The fact that he could stay hidden for so long after the battle just confirms he is a sneaky bastard who cannot be trusted." Hermione stopped listening at this point, not wanting to hear anything else the two men might have to say about Severus. Instead, she quickly got in line and left with her purchases.

* * *

_It's certainly been a few interesting days_, thought Hermione as she left the alley into muggle London. My boyfriends asks me to move in with him, I tell him I'm a witch, find out that he's a wizard who is the most hated man in Britain due to the fact that he was a Death Eater and a spy, and I finally get the chance to return to the wizarding world. All this in less than twenty-four hours, she thought sadly. Will my life ever be the same again? Her trip to Diagon Alley had cleared her mind, however, and Hermione now knew what she needed to do. It was time to pay Severus a visit.

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**AN: I know it was horrible of me to stop it here, but you'll just have to come back next time if you want to know what happens at Severus' place (imagine me with an evil laugh right about now). Anyways, thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, both the good and the bad. You guys really are great, and I am so thankful you are taking the time to help me become a better writer. So, please keep up the great work and click the little button down below!**


	8. Epilogue

_Epilogue:_

_It's been 13 ½ years since I made the difficult decisions that changed my life,_ thought Hermione. "If it wasn't for that day in Diagon Alley," she asked herself, "would I be here on platform 9 ¾ today, watching my eldest daughter, Aeryl, head off to her first year at Hogwarts?" As she herded nine year old Jon and five year old Samantha back through King's Cross Station, Hermione couldn't help but let her mind wander back to that day so long ago, when she felt her whole world shift on her.

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Flashback:

Hermione's mind was finally clear. As she walked towards Severus' flat, she knew that her decision had been made for her when she had overheard the conversation in Flourish and Blotts. Now, she just needed to see Severus to make it official.

Severus opened the door of his flat at Hermione's knock, but he couldn't detect any hint of her thoughts behind the calm serenity on her face. "You've come to tell me that you can no longer see me, haven't you?" Severus asked dejectedly after ushering Hermione inside. When Hermione turned away from him instead of answering right away, Severus felt the last of his hope drain away. "At first," Hermione finally replied, "I did not know if I could give up on the feeling of longing I held in my heart for the wizarding world." Hermione began pacing the length of the flat as she discussed her thoughts out loud to Severus. "I went to Diagon Alley this morning, Severus. The sights and sounds, the people, everything there was new and fascinating," Hermione replied while giving Severus a sad smile. "The fact that I would be accepted there finally, that my birth no longer prohibited me from enjoying the benefits of my heritage, it's a tough thing to give up when it is all I've wanted for over half of my life." Grabbing Severus hands and holding them tightly, Hermione continued her explanation. "Severus, I knew that I couldn't ask you to endure the loathing of everyone in the wizarding world just for me. I walked the alley this morning knowing that every store front and every person that I found interesting there had the power to take me further away from you." "I'd never ask you to choose, Hermione," said Severus softly, "If you truly want to belong in the wizarding world, then I wish you every happiness."

"I know you would Severus, but..." taking a deep breath Hermione gazed into Severus' eyes, "I don't think I would need to make that decision. Something happened in Diagon Alley that made it very clear to me which world I needed to choose." While gently squeezing Severus' hands, Hermione filled him in on her overheard conversation in the bookstore. "I know you did not kill him, Severus," Hermione hastily assured him, "even if it wasn't for the fact that you were with me the entire evening on Thursday. I know what you are capable of Severus, and cold blooded murder is not one of those things, not now at least. All you want is to live a normal life, full of peace from the doubts that haunt you from your past." "What…what are you saying, Hermione?" asked Severus shakily. "That conversation," Hermione replied with a smile, "filled me with fierce anger, not because of the chance that you could have committed murder, but for the fact that even when they knew nothing about you and had not seen you for years, those men could so easily convict you of murder simply because they hated you. They don't know the man you have become, and I hated that they judged you for your mistakes in youth." With tears gathering in her eyes, Hermione looked towards Severus and said, "They made me realize that I couldn't choose between you and the wizarding world because having you would always be the better choice. I came straight here hoping that I hadn't yet lost my chance."

End flashback

* * *

Hermione was pulled out of her memories as she felt her husband slide his arm around her waist and pull her into his side. "Well my dear," Severus stated, "you finally get to be a part of the wizarding world now, even if it is just through your daughter. Can you be happy now with the choice you made all those years ago?" Leaning into Severus' embrace she whispered "I've not once regretted my decision that day, love. I realized that my heart had found its place in the world before I stepped into Diagon Alley that day." She leaned in then and gave her husband a lingering kiss. Pulling back from his lips and resting her head above his racing heart, Hermione said confidently. "My place in this world is with you Severus. Wherever you are is where my heart will belong, for all eternity." _Yes_, thought Hermione, _I've finally find a place where I belong_.

The End

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**AN: Thank you all for sticking with me through this story! It's been an adventure for sure. I hope you guys got as much enjoyment out of the story as I did. Adieu for now!**


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